Dr. Yusuf Goran: We are very concerned with Kurdistan Region Universities' Rankings and Standards

Dr. Yusuf Goran, the KRG Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research, said Kurdistan region universities shoulder a big responsibility in cultivating individuals in the region, therefore, our goal is not only to grant degrees for students, but we want to develop cultural and intellectual abilities of students.

Dr. Yusuf Goran said these statements on March 26 during a speech in the conference of launching Dabran Organization. In the conference, which was organized by Chawder Cultural Center under the slogan of (Religion for the individuals and democracy for all), tens of professors, researchers, and criticizers attended. The conference was held in the Sulaimani Palace's Meeting Hall in the city of Sulaimani.

"The existence of such intellectual and criticism activities serves the development of free thought, social and political openness in one hand, and it will promote and reinforce the process of scientific and academic research on the other hand," Dr. Yusuf Goran said.

He also said:" Intellectual reform is a constant duty facing those communities which are in the transitional stage, since world nations in their communal development process could or can never slip away from this duty."

He also indicated that the universities in the Kurdistan region shoulder a big responsibility in raising the awareness of Kurdish individuals. Therefore, our goal is not only to grant degrees for students, but we want to develop cultural and intellectual abilities of students. He also stressed that they tried to reorganize curriculums of Kurdistan region universities in such a way that to produce productive and criticizing individuals.

"Despite the ongoing efforts to reform in the higher education and scientific research sector, but until now Kurdistan region universities do not have a key role in producing knowledge and thought. Unfortunately, in the international ranking systems our universities are still yearning, accordingly we in the KRG Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research are very concerned with our global ranking, and we push hard to build a new system for national ranking for our universities, through creating the sole of academic competition among Kurdistan region universities," he added.

*Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research - Media Department